Glass-drawing device



Feb. 19 1924.

v w. WESTBURY GLAS S DRAWING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29 1.922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 glwvantoz attorney Feb. 19 1924.

W. WESTBURY.

GLASS DRAWING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 192 2 sheets-sheet z Patented F eb. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM wEs'rmmY, or CAREY, KANSAS.

GLASS-DRAWING DEVICE.

Application filed December 29, 1922. Serial No. 609,880.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM WESTBURY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caney, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Glass-Drawing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to glass drawing devices, and particularly to pot and kiln constructions for use in the drawing of glass cylinders.

- One object of my invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement of heating kiln and reversible pots, which latter are alternately and successively movable between a drawing position above the kiln and the kiln itself, for drawing and aftermath melting and draining operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary support for the pots whereby the pots may be alternately and successivel moved to a drawing position above a work floor 0r platform and to a draining osition within a heating kiln below the Eoor or platform, the kiln being vertically arranged and the pots also movable as revolved between horizontal drawing and vertical draining positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction and arrangement of parts whereby the heat may be better confined in the kiln and the workmen protected therefrom and allowed to work in a comparatively cool atmosphere, also whereby the cylinder being drawn may be protect-ed against and prevented from being affected by drafts of heated air from below, and further whereby the several working parts of the apparatus may be readily and .conveniently operated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the chamber or pit containing the heating kiln is arranged below a surface above which the pot which is in drawing position projects, which surface may constitute a ladling floor at one side (the front) of the 0t, and a capping floor at the opposite gi'ear) side of the pot, thus securing great convenience in the arrangement of work surfaces and elements for carrying out the various working operations.

'lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of conof the same taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, I

with parts omitted.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical section on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the plane indicated by line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the apparatus on a reduced scale.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, v1 designates a heating chamber or pit, of suitable form and construction, arranged either above or below the surface of the ground or the floor of a building and having disposed therein a vertical heating kiln 2, heated from one or more burners 3. This kiln 2 is disposed on one side of the center of chamber 1, in what may, for convenience, be termed the kiln space A of said chamber, while the opposite side B of said chamber is left clear and constitutes a space, which ma be termed a pot space, for movement 0 the drawing pots in the adjustments of the pots between drawing and draining positions, as hereinafter described. The kiln 2 is designed for the heating of the drawing pots for the melting of the aftermath therefrom and to put the pots in proper temperature condition for the reception of a charge of glass from which a cylinder is to be drawn. In its front wall, facing space B, the kiln is provided with a mouth or opening 4 to receive a pot to be heated, and in its bottom the kiln is rovided with a drain outlet 5 for the discharge of the melted glass residuum.

The pit 1 is arranged below the level of a work surface, herein shown as embodying a main floor C including fixed floor sect-ions D and E, with which cooperate a movable floor section F. The fixed floor section 1) extends over the kiln space A and terminates about in line with the front of the kiln, while the fixed floor section E terminates about in line with the adjacent side wall of the pot space B of the kiln. The floor section F constitutes a movable extension of the fixed floor section E and is fitted to slide back and forth, over kiln i be easily moved back and forth, i. e., to-

Ward and from the floor section D. When floor section F is moved forward to its fullest extent, as shown in Figure 1, a transverse slot or opening 6 is left between the same and the floor section D, which slot 6 may be widened by sliding the said floor sectlon F backward. The fixed floor section D provides a ladling floor or platform for use of the workrnen in ladling charges of glass into the pots, while the fixed floor section E provides a floor or platform for the use of the workmen in taking down and capping off a drawn cylinder. Hence it will be understood that the pit may be arranged in practice between a melting furnace and take down and capping devices and located below the level of the same, so that the active instrumentalities employed, including the working pot and drawing mechanism, may be arranged between and in close proximity to the source of glass supply and the cylinder take down and cappmg devices, so that time and labor maybe saved and floor space economized. The variable slot or o ening 6, located over kiln space E, is provided for the movement of the pots into and out of the kiln chamber 1 between drawing and draining positions, and provision is made for the complete closure of said slot during the drawing action, as hereinafter described.

Extending upwardly within the kiln chamber are columns or uprights 7 carrying at their upper ends bearings 8 and 9 which support a shaft 10. This shaft 10 extends across the kiln chamber beneath the floor surface and is fitted to rotate and reciprocate or slide back and forth, in said bearings. Mounted upon the central portion of the shaft is a rotary carrier 11. comprising a central head or hub 12 and a pair of diametrically disposed arms 13 and 14 secured thereto and projecting therefrom. The hub or head 12 is fixed to the shaft 10 and the arms 13 and 14 are fixed to the hub and reinforced therefrom by suitable braces 15.

The arms 13 and 14support drawing pots 16 and 17, made of fire clay or other suitable material. Each pot is carried by a frame composed of divided sections 18 and 19 united by bolts or other suitable fastening means 20, the construction thus being such that the section 19 may be detached to permit removal of a pot for repairs and other purposes and to enable a pot to be applied and rigidly and firmly clamped in working position. The relatively stationary frame section 18 is provided with a shank 21 which is pivotally con'nected'with its carrier arm, as at 22," such pivotal connection adapting each pot to swing or tilt from a horizontal drawing position to a vertical draining position, and vice versa. In the position of the carrier illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the upper pot 16 is shown in horizontal working or drawing position, while the lower pot 17 is shown in vertical draining position. By imparting a half revolution to the carrier, on the movement of shaft 10 through, an arc of 180, the positions of these pots may be reversed, in which event the pot 17 will take the place of the pot 16 and be disposed in horizontal drawing position, while the pot 16 will take the place of the pot 17 and be disposed in vertical draining position. In the rotation of the shaft the carrier arms are adapted to swing to raised or lowered position through the slot or opening 6 in an obvious manner.

In practice, the reversal of the two pots 16 and 17 is preferably accomplished by periodically rotating the shaft 10 in a single direction, to which end the shaft 10 is provided with a gear 23 meshing with a pinion 24 on the shaft of an electric or other suitable motor 25. The means for tilting or swinging the pots 16 and 17 between vertical and horizontal positions is shown in the present instance as comprising an eccentric head 26 preferably grooved to receive an eccentric strap 27, which eccentric strap is pivotally coupled by connecting rods 28 and 29 to the respective pot frames. The said eccentric head 26 is carried by a sleeve 30 attached thereto or formed integral therewith, which sleeve is of angular form in cross-section to fit within a correspondingly shaped bore in a fixed bearing 30' on floor section D, and is keyed, feathered or otherwise fitted in said bearing so as to slide back and forth with the shaft 10, while it is at the same time held from rotary motion with the shaft so as to hold the eccentric head fixed against any change in position except an incidental back and forth movement with the shaft 10 in the reciprocation of the latter. The head 26 has a major extent of projection in an upward direction and a mini mum extent of projection in a downward direction with relation to the axis of shaft 10, and hence as the carrier 11 revolves the eccentric strap 27, in turning therewith, will cause the rod 28 or 29, as the case may be, to move outwardly and shift the pot 16 or 17, as the case may be, to a horizontal position, while the other rod of the pair will be caused to move inwardly, or toward the shaft, and thus swing the pot connected therewith to a vertical position. The head 26 abuts at one side against the hub 12 and the sleeve 30 extends therefrom through the is ivotally connected at its lower end to the ad acent underlying upright 7, as indicated at 33, said lever extending upwardly through and being movable in registering slots 32' in floor sections E and F and being provided with an adjustable latch dog 34 for engagement with a toothed or notched rack 35, to lock the lever and the shaft at the limits of its forward and backward movements. This rack 35 hasan arm 36 extend-' ing downward through the slot 32 in floor section and fastened to bearing 9, whereby the rack is supported. The lever is pivotally coupled, as at 37 to a sleeve 38 loosely mounted on shaft 10, said sleeve engagmg between spaced collars 39 fixed to the shaft, whereby the shaft may turn independently of the sleeve, while back and forth swinging movements of the lever will result in correspondin slidin motions being transmitted to the s aft. ear 23 has a toothed face which is broad enough to maintain engagement with the teeth of pinion 24 in the sliding movements of shaft 10.

The shaft is slidably mounted, as described, to permit the carrier 11 to be shifted back and forth in slot 6 for the purpose of enabling the lower pot to be moved back and forth in kiln space B into and out of the kiln opening 4:, and to adapt the carrier to be swung for pot reversals without interference from the kiln. Figure 1 shows the pots in working position, the upper pot 16 being disposed to'receive a charge of glass for the drawing action, while the lower pot 17 is disposed within the kiln opening 4, in which position said pot 17 will be heated for the melting out of the aftermath from the previous draw therefrom and the heating of said pot to a proper temperature to receive the next charge. In this working position of the pots the lever 32 has been thrown forward to correspondingly shift the rotary carrier so as to move the pot 17 into the kiln opening 4. When lever 32 is thrown rearwardly to the reverse position, the carrier 11 is shifted with the shaft 10, so as to bring the pot 17 out of the opening 4 and into the clear space vB of chamber 1, where-' upon the carrier 11 may be turned to swing the 0t 16 downwardly and the pot 17 upwar ly, thus bringing pot 16 into position for a draining action and pot 17 into position for a drawing action. When pot 16 is swung downwardly and pot 17 swung upwardly in the manner described, said pots w1ll be respectively tilted by thecccentric mechanism to dispose pot 16 in vertical position and 0t 17 in horizontal position, as Will be readily understood. Pot 16 will then occup the position shown in Figure 1 of pot- 1 but will be arranged in retracted position, that is, within the clear space B of chamber 1 but facing the kiln opening 4. By then sliding the shaft and carrier forward pot 16, dlsposed as described, may be moved into the kiln opening 1 so that its chamber will be exposed to the heat of the flames from the burner or burners in the kiln. The fitting of the lower pot in the opening 4 may be utilized as a lock connection between the carrier and kiln to hold the carrier from rotation and the upper pot properly held centered in drawing position; but, if desired, any other suitable locking means for this purpose may be employed, such as a band-brake (not shown) acting on shaft 10.

The floor or platform is provided, as stated with the slot or opening 6 which is wide enough, when floor section F is retracted, to permit the carrier 11 to slide back and forth with shaft 10 and long enough to permit of the rotary motion of the carrier. In order to close the end portions of this slot or opening 6 when the carrier 11 is in upright or working position, movable doors or shutters 40 are provided. These doors or shutters consist of plates fixed at their inner ends to the carrier hub 12 and projecting from opposite sides thereof at right anglesto the arms 11. They are of a jointlength somewhat less than the length of slot 6, and of a width somewhat greater than the width of slot 6, when platform section F is moved forward, so that said doors may underlie the floor and close the slot 6 when the carrier is in an upright working position. In such position the forward side edges of the doors may underlie platform section D so that, even in the event of damage to the lower pot, inhibiting its locking engagement with the wall of opening 4, any accidental swing of the carrier will be limited, thus obviating liability of injury to the workmen or damage to the apparatus. When, however, the carrier is drawn rearwardly such forward edges of the doors will clear the floor section D, al-' lowing the carrier to swing in the slot 6 for a free and easy reversin action. The platform section .F obvious v acts as a transversely movable door which is movable forwardly to cover that side of the slot 6 not closed by the doors 10 when the carrier is in working position, and which is movable re'arwardlv to increase the width of the slot 6 as required in the pot shifting movements. For the purpose of securing an automatic back and forth movement of the section F,

said section is provided with a sleeve 41- loosely engaging the shaft 10 between collars 42 fixed to said shaft, whereby rotary motion of the shaft will not all'ect the section, while. when the shaft and carrier are slid back and forth, the section F will slide therewith and thus be projected or retracted. It will be understood that when the carrier is in working position the doors 40 and section F will fully close the slot 6, allowing the workmen to work with safety in carrymg on the draw. At the same time said doors confine the heat from the kiln 2 in the chamber 1 and protect the workmen therefrom and allow them to work in a comparatively cool atmosphere. The doors, by closing the slot during the drawing period, also protect the cylinder being drawn from up flowing heated drafts of air liable to cause deflection of the cylinder from a straight line of draw and to produce other undesirable effects. From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved pot and kiln construction for use in the art of drawing glass cylinders will bereadily understood without a further and more extended description, and it will be seen that a double pot structure is provided which enables the pots to be readily and conveniently reversed so that when one pot is in position for charging and drawing operations the companion pot will be subjected to a heating action for the purpose of melting out the aftermath from the previous draw and heating the pot to the proper temperature for the succeeding draw. An important advantage incident to my invention is that it adapts the kiln to be disposed in a pit or chamber which may be below ground surface or at any elevation above ground surface. but below the stand where the draw is being made, so that the pots may be reversed as described while the heat may be largely confined in the kiln and its enclosing chamber, thus conserving heat and fuel, while the workmen are protected from the intense degree of heat to which they would otherwise be exposed, with the result that they may work with greater ease and comfort and less liability of heat exhaustion. The general construction described also permits the drawing station or stand and kiln to be arranged in relatively superposed relation without danger of updrafts of heated or contaminated air of suflicient volume or intensity to cause discomfort to the workmen or defects in the cylinder being drawn. This further permits the drawing mechanism and all cooperating parts to be arranged between and in close proximity to the ladling station and capping station, for greater convenience of operation and with a material saving of time and labor in carrying on the work.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of a heating kiln having an opening in a vertical wall thereof for insertion and removal of a pot, a rotary carrier mounted upon an axis disposed above the level of said opening, pots mounted on the carrier and adapted on successive part revolutions of said carrier to be alternately brought into upper drawing and lower draining positions, in which lower position each pot is disposed so as to face said kiln opening, means for rotating said carrier, means for shifting the carrier for moving the lower pot into and out of the kiln opening, and means for shifting each pot on each part revolution of the carrier from a horizontal drawing to a vertical draining position or vice versa.

2. The combination of a vertical heating kiln having an opening in the front thereof, a rotary carrier, dian'ietrically disposed pots mounted upon the carrier for pivotal movements between horizontal drawing and vertical draining positions, means for rotating said carrier for alternately and successively bringing said pots intothe stated positions, means for moving the pot which is in vertical position into or out of the opening in the kiln, and means for tilting thepots in the rotation of the carrier.

3. The combination of a vertical heating kiln having an opening in the front thereof, a rotary carrier, diametrically disposed pots mounted upon the carrier for pivotal movements between horizontal drawing and vertical draining positions, means for rotating said carrier for alternately and successively bringing said pots into the stated positions, means for moving the pot which is in vertical position into or out of the opening in the kiln, and cam actuated means for tilting the pots in the rotation of the carrier.

4. The combination of a vertical heating kiln having an opening in the front thereof, a rotatable and longitudinally movable shaft, a carrier .mounted upon said shaft and movable therewith, diametrically disposed pots on the carrier tiltably mounted for movements between horizontal drawing and vertical draining positions, means for rotating the shaft and carrier for alternately and successively bringing the pots into drawing and draining positions, and means for adjusting the carrier to move the pot which is in drawing position into and out of the kiln opening.

5. The combination of a heating kiln ha"- ing an opening in a vertical wall thereof, a carrier rotatable on a horizontal axis, means for rotating said carrier, pots tiltably mounted on the carrier, means operative on the rotation of the carrier for reversely tilting the pots between vertical and horizontal positions, and means for sliding the carrier back-and forth to move a vertically disposed pot into and out of the kiln opening.

6. The combination of a heating kiln having an opening in a vertical Wall thereof, a carrier rotatable .on a horizontal axis, means for rotating said carrier, pot-s tiltably mounted on the carrier, eccentric mech anism operative on the rotation of the carrier for reversely tilting the pots between vertical and horizontal positions, and means for sliding the carrier back and forth to move a vertically disposed pot into and out of the kiln opening.

7. The combination of a heating kiln having an opening in a vertical wall thereof, a carrier rotatable on a horizontal axis, means for rotating said carrier, pots tiltably mounted on the carrier, an eccentric rods coupling said eccentric to the pots and operative on the rotation of the carrier for reversely tilting the pots between vertical and horizontal positions, and means for sliding the carrier back and forth to move a vertically disposed pot into and out of the kiln opening.

8. The combination of a heating kiln havin an opening in a vertical wall thereof a. orizontal shaft arranged above the level of the kiln, said shaft being rotatably and slidably mounted, a rotary carrier fixed to said shaft, pots tiltably mounted on the carrier, means for rotating the shaft and carrier so as to raise and lower the respective pots between drawing and draining positions, means for tilting the pets on the rotation of the carrier to dispose one pot in a horizontal position and the other pot in a vertical position, and means for sliding the shaft and carrier so as to project the vertically disposed pot into or withdraw it from the kiln opening.

9. The combination of a heating kiln having an v opening in a vertical wall thereof a horizontal shaft arranged above the level of the kiln, said shaft being rotatably and slidably! mounted, a rotary carrier fixed to said shaft, pots tiltably mounted on the carrier, means for rotating the shaft and carrier so as to raise and lower the respective pots between drawing and draining positime, an eccentric, means controlled and actuated thereby for tilting the pots on the rotation of the carrier to dispose one pot in a horizontal position and the other pot in a vertical position, and means for sliding the shaft and carrier so as to project the vertically disposed pot into or withdraw it from the kiln opening.

10. The combination of a heating kiln having an opening in a vertical wall thereof, a horizontal shaft arranged above the level of the kiln, said shaft being rotatably and slidably mounted, a rotary carrier fixed to said shaft, pots tiltably mounted on the carrier, means for rotating the shaft and carrier so as to raise and lower the respective pots between drawing and draining positions. a fixed eccentric head, an eccentric strap rotatably engaging saidhead, rods connecting said strap with the pots and op-' as to project the vertically disposed pot into or withdraw it from the kiln opening.

11. In a glass drawing apparatus, the combination of a chamber having an elevated work floor provided with an opening therein, a heating kiln locatedon one side of the center of said chamber and having an opening in its front wall facing the space between the same and the opposite side of said chamber, a rotary carrier mounted to revolve upon a horizontal axis above and in line with said opening in the work floor and provided with diametrically disposed arms movable through said opening in the work floor respectively to vertical positions within the chamber and above the work floor, said carrier being also mounted for sliding movements in a direction toward and from the front wall of the kiln, pivotally mounted pots upon the carrier arms, means operative on each half revolution of the carrier for shifting the pot on the upwardly moving carrier arm to a horizontal position and the pot on the downwardly moving carrier arm to a vertical position, means for rotating the carrier, and means for sliding said carrier to move the vertically disposed pot into or pult of the opening in the front wall of the 12. In a glass drawing apparatus, the

combination of a chamber having an ele- I vated work floor provided with an opening therein, a heating kiln located on one side of the center of said chamber and having an opening in its front wall facing the'space between the same and the opposite side of said chamber, a rotary carrier mounted to revolve upon a horizontal axis above and in line with said opening in the work floor and provided with diametrically disposed arms movable through said opening in the work floor respectively to vertical positions within the chamber and above the work floor, said carrier being also mounted for sliding movements in a direction toward and from the front wall of the kiln, pivotally mounted pots upon the carrier arms, means operative on each half revolution of the carrier for shifting the pot on the upwardly moving carrier arm to a horizontal position and the pot on the downwardly moving carrier arm to a vertical position, means for rotating the carrier, movable doors for closing the opening in the work platform, and means for sliding said carrier to move the vertically disposed pot into or out of the opening in the front wall of the kiln.

13. In a glass drawing apparatus, a chamher, a heating kiln in said chamber, said kiln having a pot receiving opening therein, a floor above the chamber having a slot therein, a carrier rotatable and transversely slidable within the slot, diametrically disposed pots upon the carrier arranged to be disposed respectively above the fioor line and within the chamber in a determined position of said carrier, means operative in the rotation of the carrier for disposing the uppern'iost pot in a horizontal position and the lowermost pot in a vertical position, and means for transversely shifting said carrier.

14. In a glass drawing apparatus, a chamber, a heating kiln in said chamber, said kiln having a pot receiving opening therein, a floor above the chamber having a slot therein, a carrier rotatable and transversely slidable within the slot, diametrically disposed pots upon the carrier arranged to be disposed respectively above the floor line and within the chamber in a determined position of said carrier, means operative in the rotation of the carrier for disposing the uppermost pot in a horizontal position and th lowermost pot in a vertical position,

means for transversely shifting said carrier,

slidable within the slot, diametrically disposed pots upon the carrier arranged to be disposed respectively above the floor line and within the chamber in a determined position of said carrier, means operative in the rotation of the carrier for disposing the uppermost pot in a horizontal position and th lowermost potin a vertical position, means for transversely shifting said carrier, doors upon the carrier androtating therewith for lengthwise closing and-partially transversely closing-the slot when the carrier is in working position, and a transversely sliding door for closing the portion of the slot left unclosed by the first-mentioned doors.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM WES'IBURY. 

